Most people do not know much about cars and how they work. They may understand the basics such as how to fill fuel, change the oil, put air in the tires, and add windscreen wiper fluid, but they do not know the many parts that make up the engine, the fuel injection system, or the transmission.
There are a few practical reasons to conduct an inspection of a car before you purchase it. You are paying a lot of money for the car. Getting what you pay for means much more when you have to make monthly payments. Buying a car you are not completely satisfied with can be a disaster. When you test drive a car, you should:
Feel comfortable behind the wheel. You should adjust the seat and take note of where the adjustment levers or controls are in the car.
You should be able to reach everything from the emergency lights to the radio easily. You should also be able to clearly see everything on the dashboard. This is not only for comfort, but also for safety. If you are not comfortable with how the dashboard is arranged, then you should test drive another car.
You should be able to find the turn signal, headlights, heating controls, and defrosting controls easily as well. Imagine if you are stuck in a blizzard or a heavy rain storm, do you want to be fumbling for the controls? The key here is easy accessibility. While you will not know where every control is when you first test drive the car, you should make sure that these necessary controls are easily accessible. This could prevent an accident or help you reach your destination safely when you are faced with adverse weather conditions.
When you are driving, take note of how the car handles bumps, curves, and acceleration. It is important to test drive a car on both the highway and in residential areas. This will give the best idea of how the car will perform in short stops, changes in speed, and when idling. Most dealerships will encourage you to drive the car in both of these conditions if possible.
You should test the brakes, the acceleration, the amount of time it takes for the engine to start, and how the engine performs when the car is on, but not moving.
After taking the test drive, you should check out the body of the car and ask questions about how the car is constructed.
